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The Bottom Line

Jonathan Maze The Bottom Line

Restaurant Business Executive Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Maze is a longtime industry journalist who writes about restaurant finance, mergers and acquisitions and the economy, with a particular focus on quick-service restaurants. He writes daily about the factors influencing the operating environment, including labor and food costs and various industry trends such as technology and delivery.

Jonathan has been widely quoted in media publications such as the New York Times and the Washington Post and has appeared on CNBC, Yahoo Finance and NPR. He writes a weekly finance-focused newsletter for Restaurant Business, The Bottom Line, and is the host of the weekly podcast “A Deeper Dive.”

Financing

Why delivery is not incremental

 By Jonathan Maze on May 16, 2019

If it is incremental, it won’t be for long, and operators have to prepare for it, says RB's The Bottom Line.

Financing

Why can’t Tim Hortons work in the U.S.?

 By Jonathan Maze on May 16, 2019

The chain is ultrapopular in Canada, but not so much here. It’s an issue the chain has perpetually struggled to fix, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Financing

McDonald’s is winning the burger wars, for now

By Jonathan Maze on May 13, 2019

The company’s same-store sales have bested all of its competitors in recent years, but traffic growth remains elusive, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Financing

The future of the restaurant business, in 3 IPOs

By Jonathan Maze on May 10, 2019

Uber, Beyond Meat, and Luckin Coffee offerings show where the industry is headed, says RB’s The Bottom Line, but each has its challenges.

Financing

Whataburger looks for an investor

By Jonathan Maze on May 09, 2019

The chain is reportedly looking to sell a stake in the business, suggesting the chain may be ready to speed its growth, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Financing

Is McDonald’s pricing itself out of traffic?

By Jonathan Maze on May 07, 2019

As it becomes more expensive to eat at the fast-food chain, some customers could seek other options, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Financing

Famous Dave’s could become a fast-casual chain

By Jonathan Maze on May 01, 2019

The chain is replacing an existing unit with a fast-casual model, and many others could follow if it works, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Financing

Why is restaurant traffic falling? Blame millennials

By Jonathan Maze on Apr. 26, 2019

According to Technomic data, the generation has been shrinking its visits for the past year, especially in casual dining, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Financing

Do the delivery economics work?

By Jonathan Maze on Apr. 24, 2019

Domino’s is the latest company to question the sustainability of the current model. RB’s The Bottom Line takes a look.

Topics

Why do struggling chains always turn to franchising?

By Jonathan Maze on Apr. 23, 2019

Companies with steeply falling sales frequently turn to franchisees to turn stores around. RB’s The Bottom Line examines whether this is a good idea.

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